Copyright Newsweek
A drinking water report studying the toxicity of perfluorononanoic acid, or PFNA, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized in mid-April has yet to be released to the public, sparking concerns from Representative Chellie Pingree. On October 16, Pingree, a Democrat from Maine, sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin asking him why the report has yet to be released and who is responsible for its delay, among other questions. Pingree told Newsweek that the EPA hasn't responded to the letter as of October 20 other than to confirm receipt. "We have received the letter and will respond through the proper channels," the EPA Press Office told Newsweek. Why It Matters PNFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS. PFAS encompass thousands of man-made chemicals found in everyday items like non-stick cookware, firefighting foams, grease-resistant food wrappers, water-resistant clothing and other items. PFAS, known as "forever chemicals" because of the long time it takes the chemicals to break down, can cause harm in high exposure amounts. During the breakdown process, PFAS can leach into the soil and water supply. These chemicals also threaten the water supply when products containing them are dumped onto the ground or into lakes and rivers. A 2023 study from the U.S. Geological Survey found that PFAS are present in the tap water of nearly half of U.S. homes. In April, Zeldin announced a set of actions the EPA planned to take to counteract PFAS contamination in American drinking water. These actions included designating an agency lead for PFAS, creating effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for certain PFAS to stop the forever chemicals from entering drinking water systems, and "initiatives to engage with Congress and industry to establish a clear liability framework that ensures the polluter pays and passive receivers are protected." What To Know Pingree has formally requested transparency and immediate action from the EPA after reports surfaced that the agency was withholding a risk assessment on PFNA, a type of PFAS. According to Pingree's letter and press release, the EPA’s report concluded that PFNA can cause developmental, liver, and reproductive harm, such as lower birth weights, reduced testosterone, and diminished sperm levels. "Unfortunately, we don't have a good line of communication with this EPA, which is very unusual," Pingree told Newsweek. Information from both Pingree’s letter and ProPublica reporting indicates the PFNA report was ready for publication in April. The report allegedly required only final briefings to leadership before publication. Despite this, its public release remains delayed with no clear timeline from EPA leadership or explanation for the holdup. Should the EPA not respond to the letter, Pingree told Newsweek she plans to "look for other ways to raise public attention on this issue." She also plans to reach out to the Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. "We have a lot of strategies we are anxious to employ but would much prefer having the agency finish the assessment and release the report," Pingree said. "We're not going to back down from a fight here," she added. In her letter, Pingree also claimed the delay in publishing the PFNA assessment coincided with the EPA decision to rescind some Safe Drinking Water Act regulations regarding PFAS, including PFNA. She went on to express concerns about the "growing pattern of interference with the Agency’s scientific work, especially towards the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program." "This seems to be more than coincidence given that there has been strong industry pushback on regulating PFAS. The Trump Administration, Republicans in Congress, and industry have been hostile to the IRIS program which conducts these assessments," Pingree wrote. "IRIS has consistently been a target with repeated attempts to weaken or dismantle its ability to perform independent scientific reviews of chemicals, like PFNA." Pingree called on Zeldin to clarify who directed the delay, explain why the PFNA assessment has not been released, and commit to publishing both the PFNA report and future IRIS assessments without political interference. The full letter from Pingree can be accessed here. What People Are Saying EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in a press release published in April: “I have long been concerned about PFAS and the efforts to help states and communities dealing with legacy contamination in their backyards. With today’s announcement, we are tackling PFAS from all of EPA’s program offices, advancing research and testing, stopping PFAS from getting into drinking water systems, holding polluters accountable, and providing certainty for passive receivers. This is just a start of the work we will do on PFAS to ensure Americans have the cleanest air, land, and water." Representative Chellie Pingree in an October 16 letter to Zeldin: "We both know that PFAS poses a significant public health threat to our water, food supply, and farming communities. It is necessary to take steps to combat PFAS contamination, yet this delay and erosion of capacity directly contradict your repeated public statements about both transparency and the need for strong, science-based PFAS policies." What Happens Next The EPA has not yet provided a public response to Pingree’s demands or indicated when the PFNA report will be released. The eventual release of the report could help shape ongoing regulatory actions on PFAS chemicals, inform local and state responses to water contamination, and influence future federal policies on drinking water safety and chemical risk assessment.
